HUNDREDS of elderly people in private care homes are being stripped of a right to democracy in a row over visiting access, councillors claimed.

Elected representatives make monthly visits to people in the borough’s four council-run care homes but they say they are being denied access to the 20 homes belonging to the independent sector.

With independent care homes providing 87.8% of the overall provision in the borough and catering for 837 elderly people, councillors say it is essential that they open their doors and allow them to visit.

Councillor Peter Foley, who raised the issue at a full meeting of Bridgend county borough council, said: “I think the people we visit in the council-run homes really appreciate that contact.

“The fact that people inside independent homes cannot speak to their councillor is totally wrong.

“They have social and personal needs which they would like to discuss with their councillors.”

Other councillors argue their visits are a means of scrutinising standards in independent care homes.

Caerau councillor Steve Smith said: “You’ve got to make sure standards of care are kept up. We are all going to end up in a place like that one day and they need to be up to standard.”

The council’s cabinet member for wellbeing, Lyn Morgan, said: “We are currently exploring the most effective way for elected members to carry out rota visits in the independent sector care homes and we are developing a process to put forward for agreement.

“It is anticipated that a process will be developed in readiness to share with members in June, and to become operational during the summer of 2012.”